World of Women

A lifetime of work went up in smoke within moments. It left me with a complicated feeling. I had spent two decades building up the country of Valiant as a place for men. Yet, the men had all become possessed by demons, and the island had seemingly regained flight and then returned to Amarylis, only for it to crash due to my sister’s sabotage. Almost every building on the island, both the newer ones and the original ones was now collapsed. This includes my mansion and the location of my home for all these years.

I should have been angry at Hannah, but I honestly couldn’t disagree with what she did. Most of the residents of Valiant were men, and those men were now possessed by demons. These demons had the intent of connecting this world with the demonic world. That needed to be prevented at all costs, and it seemed somehow suiting that the ones who protected this world were the very ones that were responsible for the danger.

As for the cost of life, since most of the men were demons, they’d likely survive such an event. As for the women, most of them had already fled. My family had even been responsible for many of those escapes. Thus, the actual casualty was likely pretty low, although there was no way of telling until things calmed down.

There was no time for that though. The demons might be able to reestablish the magic formation. Although I doubted Valiant would ever fly again, the demons likely had backup plans. That meant that we needed to launch our plan now. In fact, upon the destruction of Valiant, it was almost like the entire world paused. The magical attacks on our ships had ceased, and there was a quiet in the air like the world itself was holding its breath in anticipation.

As our airship lowered down into a valley carved out by construction vehicles right in front of the demon king’s castle, there was no longer any resistance. It was honestly too quiet, making everyone more tense.

“Are you sure about this?” Kemala asked worriedly.

I looked back at my family. My various wives, mistresses, lovers, and children. There were dozens of them, and they were all behind me on this final leg of my journey. My entire life had been leading up to this point. I could feel that in my bones. I gave a nod.

“Let’s go.”

The airship lowered a long ladder and we left the ship, one person at a time. Kemala had to stay behind, as did Angela. The whole thing took nearly thirty minutes, but neither the islands above nor the demon castle showed any resistance. Perhaps, the demon king was already waiting for me. She did want me to trade Lilith for my family. This was probably all in her speculations.

Was I walking into her trap? Was I giving her everything that she wanted? I had no clue. I couldn’t see the future. All I knew was that I had to continue forward for the sake of this family of mine. Once we all disembarked, the airship remained. I asked her to remain so my family had a chance to escape. The captain said that she’d remain as long as possible and would only give up on us last second. It would have to be good enough.

Madison reached out and gave me her hand. Hannah grabbed my hand on the other side. I felt Mom hug me from behind. Aunt Rose grabbed the hem of my shirt as comfort. The others smiled at me one after another. There was Mako and Lyra. Ashton and Rebecca. Brianna and Brooke. There were my children, the boys and the girls including Lexy and Raven. Lilith. We all came to a stop at the front of the demon king’s castle. The doors sat before us, larger than practical. Almost like there was an automatic sensor, the door cracked open, leaving just enough room for one person to enter at a time.

“Thank you all… for coming with me.” I turned back to my family. “This is as far as you can go though. We have to go the rest of our way on our own.”

The girls shifted unhappily, but when they saw the seriousness in my eyes, they seemed to accept it.

“Just be safe,” Hannah warned me, finally, reluctantly letting go.

“You’re the only brother we have.” Madison nodded, also letting go.

Hannah and Madison glanced at each other, and then a subtle smile appeared on both of their faces. It was like they had agreed with each other for the first time in ages. I gave each of the girls a simple kiss, even my daughters. As for my sons, we gave each other a handshake and a pat on the back.

“You’ll make it father.” My oldest declared.

“Whether I make it or not,” I responded. “You’re the future. Don’t forget that.”

He nodded, keeping himself from tearing up. “I will.”

“Guys, I’m just going to bang a goddess. This is one thing I’m very experienced with. I’m coming back.”

“Still bragging, I see…” Lyra responded.

The girls all let out soft chuckles, but their eyes were still wet and their faces filled with worry. I gathered Brianna, Brooke, Lilith, and Mia. We’d be the only five to go inside. Mia wouldn’t allow me to refuse her entry. Lilith meant too much to her for her not to see things until the end. Brianna and Brooke were there to make sure I reached the end safely, and also to hold down Jenai when I… ahem… finished the deed.

All four of them looked determined, their faces expressionless as they committed to entering the lair of the demon king, which might be the end of all of us.  Brooke insisted on stepping in first, but I went next and the three other girls followed me. We slid through the cracks one by one. When the final person slid through, the door slammed shut. Brianna and Brooke turned on lights immediately after, shining them through the familiar architecture of the demon king's castle.

I looked around for a few moments before lowering my head. "Let's go."

Mia was the first to move forward at my words, with Lilith close behind her. Brooke and Brianna remained in the back, covering me, and the four of us began to explore the dark and empty hallways. I had been afraid that there would be demons waiting in the castle for us, but it seemed like the demon king was confident and didn't summon any of them.

As we moved deeper, I felt a pressure begin to build in the air, making it hard to breathe. My vision was starting to blur. The girls were struggling too. Since the legacy was no longer present, this could be nothing other than the pressure of the demon king. We already knew the way, and this place that had already been excavated and explored didn't have any traps we particularly had to look out for.

We quickly headed for the core of the demon castle, the room that previously held the throne as well as the legacy of the demon king. As soon as I stepped into the room, my eyes couldn't help but fall on Jenai. She was sitting there on the throne, looking like she was presiding over this entire world. Her legs were crossed, and her eyes were pure black. When she says the five of us enter, her lips curled up.

"I knew you would come in the end." Jenai declared.

"Yeah..." I responded, feeling awkward. "Well, I'm here... and I brought her."

I put my hands on Lilith, who tensed slightly.

Jenai cocked her head, a teasing smile on her lips. "Well, bring her here."

I couldn't help but glance at Brooke and Brianna before nodding. "Alright, we hand her over, and you promise you'll leave my family free, right?"

"That's the promise." She grinned.

Taking a breath, I began to escort Lilith down the long path leading to the throne. There was a sudden fluttering noise, and the torches on the sides of the path lit up. As we walked, the torches lit one after another, following our path toward Jenai. My heart was nearly beating out of my chest, and the other girls sounded just as worried by their heavy breaths.

"Do you know why I want Lilith?" Jenai asked suddenly, causing my steps to slow.

"I presume... the legacy..."

"Mm..." She nodded. "Sister, she used her power to bind my knowledge. As a result, I am lacking the strength necessary to complete the magical formation and merge our worlds."

"M-merge? It's not a portal?"

"Of course not." Jenai chuckled. "I can already open portals to the demonic world. That's not enough. I want to pull the worlds together, to make them one world. I'll destroy both worlds to make a new world... one of my designs."

I was getting closer and closer to her, but my steps were also growing slower. I was thinking frantically about everything she was saying. She did need Lilith's power, and unfortunately, she still had that power, so we were giving her everything she wanted. It was no wonder she didn't mind if my family continued to exist. What good would my anti-demon bloodline even be in an inherently demonic world? The demons didn't need to go through men. They could just take women directly!

"It's fine, as long as my family can live safe." I lied, trying to keep her talking.

"Of course, your little stunt outside, taking down the formation, accomplishes nothing. It will be back up within an hour. Now that have Lilith, even if I didn't have that formation, I could still succeed."

"Is that so..." I made a gesture with my hands.

"That's enough." She narrowed her eyes.

"Get her!" I cried out.

I ran forward as Brooke and Brianna joined me. After taking three steps, I suddenly started to feel heavier. By the fourth step, I couldn't run any longer, and by the seventh step, I could barely remain standing. I stubbornly continued forward, but the weight seemed to increase more and more until I was crawling on my knees. By the time I reached the first step of her throne, I wasn't able to move any farther and flopped down on the floor.

She broke into laughter. "Was that your grand plan? Get her? You are truly a fool, Clyburn."

As her laughter filled the room, I glanced back to see Brooke and Brianna helplessly pinned to the ground too. I couldn't help but squeeze my eyes shut, feeling both foolish and helpless.

"If you're so confident, what's the worst you think we can do?" I growled through my labored breaths as I forced my head up to glare at her.

"Nice try." She rolled her eyes, waving a hand. "But I'm not as stupid as you."

"Ah!" Mia let out a cry as Lilith was suddenly pulled away.

She tried to cling to her, but she only ended up stumbling to the ground as Lilith helplessly flew into Jenai's hands. Although Jenai had the form of a young girl, she seemed incredibly powerful in that moment, as if no one could even threaten her.

"Well, if you're done with your pathetic attempt to defeat me, then, I'll be finishing my plan."

"What do you plan to do with me?" Lilith demanded angrily, her eyes filled with resignation.

"I'm going to merge with you. Rather, I'm going to take over your body. You have the powers of my sister and my former knowledge. Once I enter your body, I will finally be whole, and then I will merge this world and rule it all."

"No..." I coughed, trying to push my upper body up. "Don't... you can't."

"Goodbye, Clyburn. Thanks for everything." Jenai didn't hesitate as her body shimmered and then entered Lilith.

Mia let out a cry as Lilith and Jenai's body became one. There was a burst of light, and Mia had to look away. I couldn't. I could only watch in horror. When the light faded, Lilith was still standing there, but her body gave off the aura of the demon king. The pressure of her presence was so great that we couldn't move at all. It was like the entire world had become a prison, trapping all of us.

The woman rose from her throne, her face showing expressions very similar to Jenai's. She stopped for a second, and then waved her hand, causing her clothing to change. Her body became covered by a thin black dress, and her eyes were the color of pure night. As soon as she stood, her body began to glow. Mia, Brianna, and Brooke were all lifted, as if caught in the gravitational pull.

"Finally, I am a god." She declared. "Kneel before me."

Mia, Brianna, and Brooke were all forced into kneeling positions.

Mia cried out in pain. "Lilith... please, this isn't you."

The woman paused, glancing at Mia. "Lilith is gone, although I may continue to use that name. I wonder how she'll feel knowing that her legacy was always to become my vessel."

"You can't... she's a human. She's a living being!"

"Mmm... and now, she's mine."

The woman, Lilith, stepped toward me. Her face was still mostly Lilith's, although some of Jenai's features had bled in. Her body was also still relatively similar, but her skin had paled and her eyes were black. I could only stare in horror as she approached.

"Well, Clyburn, it's time for you to do your part."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She pulled a dagger from her thin air. "Your blood will be the sacrifice needed to merge our worlds."

"Y-you made a promise!"

"I'm the demon king." She chuckled. "I lied. Besides, your blood might have not been needed if you didn't damage my magic formation. This is your fault for trying to defy me if you think about it."

"No... no... no..." I whimpered.

"Now, be a good boy and sit still." She said as she stabbed her dagger through my shoulder, pinning me to the ground.

I let out a scream, feeling the searing pain as the blade pierced my skin. My mind couldn't even begin to process the events. Lilith was just standing there, staring at me as the blood flowed freely from the wound. She didn't care about what happened. I don't think she felt anything. The Lilith that I knew was completely gone.

Brooke and Brianna let out cries. They were desperately trying to crawl to me, but the pressure holding them down seemed to be too strong. As for Mia, her eyes had grown vacant, almost as if she had already lost all hope.

"Now, we have a world to merge." She smiled and then began to draw a magical formation using my blood.

My eyes widened as I saw the formation start to appear, but the more the magic formed, the more the pain increased. I had thought it was the worst, but it only grew worse, and I found myself writhing and crying in pain.

"Aaahhhhh!!!" I screamed out.

"Be a man." The demon king said, and then kicked me, sending me rolling. "This was the issue I always had with you. In your former life, you were always a coward. You lived a useless life, and as soon as you faced a single setback, you fled from responsibility. You just drank yourself to death. You're stupid! Foolish! You got a second chance at life, and you accomplish nothing in this one either. The city you built is nothing but ash. Every man you protected is now a demon under my control. Even this family you love so much, oh, I'll keep them alive. They will become slaves to my demon army."

"Y-you..." I tried to move, but the pain was growing worse and worse.

The pressure on my shoulder from the dagger had grown painful, but she had knocked the wind out of me, and I couldn't gather myself. She grabbed me by the hair, lifting my head. I could barely keep my eyes open. Was this going to be the end? Was everything I did for nothing. For a moment, as I looked into Lilith's eyes, she looked like Charlie instead. Charlie was looking down at me with a smile. She did say I'd get to see her again, in the end.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't be any better." I groaned.

"Silly man, you never needed to be."

Lilith let go of me, looking to the side in shock. "Y-you... how are you here?"

I blinked a few times and realized that the Charlie I had seen was still standing there, Jenai was also there, both on either side of Lilith. It was almost like an angel and a demon sitting on each shoulder, both possessing her body but speaking to each other in a way we could all see.

"Why can't I be here?" Charlie asked. "You said it yourself, this is my power."

"You... your power was all used up! You died!" Jenai cried out.

"Who ever said that? Where did my power go?" Charlie looked inquisitively.

"What... where... the barrier... it's growing stronger! What are you doing? How are you doing this?" Jenai suddenly looked a bit panicked.

"We're merging back together." Charlie shrugged. "It's all I ever wanted, to join back with you, my sister."

"The demon king..."

"The demon king died long ago, trapped between us. He influenced you... corrupted you, and you continued to do things in his name. However, it's only ever been you, sister. You know this."

"What's going on?" Lilith suddenly cried out helplessly between the pair.

"You... did perfectly." Charlie declared. "Exactly what I ever wanted from you. You too..."

She glanced over at me and winked.

I was just as confused as everyone else. What was going on? I was just about to die, and suddenly the mood changed completely!